


Furry Therapy

by aswonder



Category: Turn (TV 2014)
Genre: George needs a little help, M/M, Service Dogs, Service dog au, dog trainer Ben, maybe from Ben, maybe from the dog
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-16
Updated: 2017-06-24
Packaged: 2018-11-01 16:44:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,091
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10925886
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aswonder/pseuds/aswonder
Summary: It took Martha months to finally get George to consider getting a service dog. She knew that getting a dog trained for his needs could be extremely helpful, but the idiot seemed convinced it would make him seem weak. George probably wouldn't have returned, but he did. He wasn't sure if he came back for the dog or the trainer, though.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Nimravidae](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nimravidae/gifts).



> This is mainly the idea of Nim, and I've taken a lot of what she gave me to write this. All hail our queen, the lovely nimravidae.
> 
> Okay, the fic. First, there's photos of the dogs as well a a few other things! http://sta.sh/2vj34mc9rnj?edit=1
> 
> Secondly, I'm gonna try to post this about once a week, but I might not be able to keep up with that? My muse has a mind of its own.
> 
> Hope you guys enjoy~  
> Ps: this is going to have multiple chapters but I am technically challenged when it comes to most simple things so I don't know how to change that.

George had been telling Martha the entire ride here that they should just go back to the city and have lunch. Or, well, anything but this. They had traveled quite awhile, outside of the city and well into upstate New York. The small building they were parked in front of stood in the middle of a field, with a large barn behind it. The parking lot of the building was barren save for a silver truck, and their own vehicle. "Are they even open, Martha?" He asked quizzically, looking over at the woman he considered to be his best friend. Martha gave him a short glare before slipping out of the vehicle. The man sighed to himself before following her, opening the door to the office-looking building.

The first thing George noted was that the only thing behind the desk was a dog, and a large one at that. A handsome German shepherd sat on the desk, head on the top part of the receptionist-style desk. When the door closed behind the pair, the dog lifted his head, looking at them for a moment before jumping down. The size of the Shepherd was evident when it stood next to the desk, the beast's ears the same height as the top of it. The dog didn't approach them, though, instead walking over to a rectangular chalkboard, sitting in front of it. The board listed the many seemingly random words and names, in a neat scrawl. At the very top of the board, someone had written, with thick lined text, "If you're reading this, I am probably in the back. Tell Bravo to "go find Ben", and open the door for him."

The two shared a look, unsure of what the dog would do, exactly. Martha quietly said the words when the dog looked their way. "Bravo"'s ears perked, his large head tilting for a moment before he stood and walked past them to the front door. He once again sat, looking over at them until they opened the door. Within seconds, the dog walked out of the building, turning to the left and beginning a series of loud, deep barks. The sound lessened with the closing of the door, and George gave his friend a skeptical look. "Are you sure this is a reputable business? That was... very weird, Martha. At normal businesses, people are behind the desk, not dogs." He pointed out, accepting the deserved glare he received. George sat in one of the chairs along the wall, Martha moving to the desk to look at some of the brochures laid out there. They waited in silence for a moment, neither noticing the golden retriever in the corner. A cold nose suddenly nudged the man's hand, making him jump slightly, unsuspecting. He withdrew his hand as the golden sat as close as possible to him, laying it's head in his lap. His eyes fell on the purple vest on the dog, only a second glance letting him read "please pet". 

George paused for a moment before hesitantly placing his large hand on its head. To his surprise, the dog seemingly melted, head becoming heavier with what could only be a happy groan. A small smile slipped onto his face despite his unwillingness to be here, and the minutes passed quickly. Within five minutes, a quiet voice sounded outside the door. Martha and George looked to the door to see a tall, fairly thin man open the door, the large shepherd at his side, eyes glued to his face, with two other dogs following them in. The younger man's eyes scanned the room, landing first on George, then Martha. "Hi, sorry about the wait, I was dealing with some of the dogs out back." he apologized in a soft voice. He didn't pause to greet them, instead moving to the desk. One of the dogs that had followed, a completely black dog, nudged the door closed behind the group, then moved to sit in front of the desk. The man pulled out a pouch from one of the drawers in the desk, opening it to take out treats. 

As the man stepped around the desk once again, George and Martha re-converged in the middle of the open lobby to meet them. "Again, sorry for the wait. My name is Benjamin Tallmadge, Ben for short, and these guys are BEN." he introduced, holding out a hand for a firm shake from the two. At George's raised eyebrow, he gave a small smile, resting his hand on Bravo's head, who sat leaning against his leg. "Sorry, I amuse myself in the dumbest of ways. Bravo is my own service dog, a king shepherd. Echo and November are both dogs that ended up staying with me, a flat-coated retriever and rough collie." he explained, finally giving the attentive, vested dogs treats. George looked to the golden retriever now back in the corner, hearing the small "oh" from Ben as he followed his gaze. "Sorry, that's Blondie. She failed as a service dog, but she's alright as a therapy dog. Did she bother you? Her only purpose and interest in life is to be pet." he informed, turning his attention to Martha, who was introducing herself and George.

"So, how can I help you two? Are you interested in getting a dog?" He asked curiously, looking between them. George could feel Martha glaring at him, but he said nothing. One of Ben's eyebrows arched slightly at the silence, turning to Martha as she began to explain. "George is a veteran with PTSD. I've looked into service dogs, and I think it might help him. He wont consider it because he thinks it makes him look weak." Ben listened attentively, eyes not straying. The mentioned man let his own eyes wander, though, eventually landing on Benjamin's chest. The younger man wore a fairly tight shirt, showing the evident outline of two dog tags. His eyes snapped back up as the owner of the business once again turned to him. "If you'd allow me to be honest, I think getting a service dog shows how strong a person is. Sure, you can deal with your symptoms yourself, with therapy and other methods, that's completely fine. Not getting a dog doesn't make you weak, but neither does getting one. To me, the dog is helpful because it lets you be weak around someone that wont ever judge you, that will only comfort you." He offered with another smile, and a beautiful smile at that. 

George, now slightly curious, nodded as his eyes drifted to the dogs. "What exactly do they do?" He asked hesitantly, but his question brought a large smile onto Ben's face, so it was definitely of worth it. "Well, George, it depends on what your symptoms are, if you don't like me asking?" A small frown slipped onto the older man's face, reluctant to share. "I get... nervous in big crowds, and at loud noises. And I have nightmares." George tried, unwilling to give away absolutely everything. Ben gave him another small smile before gesturing to his dogs and beginning to speak, "A service dog can be trained to help with anything you need, and even if you've had the dog for years, if you realize you need the dog to do something else, you can train it to do so."

Ben paused to crouch down next to Bravo, leaning against the dog and giving him a quick kiss on the nose. "For example, Bravo has been my working dog for five years. For me, I often have nightmares, and I'm a very tactile person. When he realizes I'm having one, he lays on my chest until I wake up. I also don't really like strangers getting too close, so I have him stand between me." To demonstrate, Benjamin stood again, Bravo immediately looking at his face. His handler murmured "barrier", and the dog quickly moved to stand in front of him, almost stone statue still. "Anyone that wants to get up close and can't without, well, tripping over the dog." He explained, backing up a few steps to demonstrate how the dog stayed glued to his front, turning and following before standing at attention again. 

Ben reached into one of the pockets of his jeans and pulled a dog treat out for the dog, feeding it to him and giving him a quick pat on the head before returning his attention to George and Martha. The other two dogs had patiently remained sitting where they were, perfectly trained service dogs. "Bravo also helps me w-" The trainer quickly cut himself off, a frown marring his beautiful features. His fingers curled into a fist at his sides and clenched, and the shepherd was quick to respond, pawing at his leg and bumping his head into his hand. A slightly awkward pause filled the air as Ben momentarily recovered after almost letting slip whatever he wanted to keep secret. Before he could apologize, though, a soft buzzing filled the air, before a crackling voice filled their ears. "Shite, Ben, you need to come back and help. I can't handle all of these damn dogs." The voice was rough without the static from the walkie-talkie, and it was tinged with frustration. 

The mentioned man sighed softly before shaking his head and pulling the walkie off his hip. "I'm coming, Caleb. Can you handle them for five more minutes?" He asked as he turned away from Martha and George, moving behind the desk to grab multiple rope toys. They heard a quiet groan and complaints, but Ben didn't pay attention to them as he clipped the device back onto his hip. "I'm really sorry, but my employee is apparently useless, so I have to go help him. You're welcome to follow me though, you could probably help us, if you wouldn't mind doing so?" He asked as he wordlessly handed each of the three dogs a rope toy. The dogs took them in their mouths without command, standing and moving into a seemingly practiced formation as Ben walked towards the door. George and Martha, mildly impressed by the dogs, followed the group as they headed towards the large barn. George recalled the voice in the radio, remembering "Caleb" had said he couldn't handle the dogs. Weren't the dogs they owned all service dogs, or at the very least training to be service dogs?

Ben, once he reached the barn door, easily slid the rolling door open, showing an entirely re-purposed barn interior. The ground floor held modern looking kennels, with metal grating on door on both sides of the walkway, with a large dog bed and a set of bowls in each. To the left and right of the door was a narrow staircase leading to even more kennels, though slightly smaller those on the ground floor. Two of the kennels on the main floor had their doors open, and Ben absentmindedly told the dogs to go to their kennels, taking their ropes back and closing the doors after they easily complied. Finally he paused, turning to the end of the barn that was open ended. "Caleb, are you with the vizslas?" he called out, receiving a groan in response. The owner and his dog moved in the direction of the groan, the handler laughing softly. George and Martha followed cautiously, pausing in the door way of the last stall. 

The sight they got was unexpected at best, a man shorter than Benjamin on his back in the stall, covered in small brown puppies. Bravo sat beside his owner, somewhat distracted by the squirming bodies. Ben crouched next to his dog, unclipping the dog's vest. The dog's head turned to Ben, seemingly waiting for the "release" before dropping onto his stomach. His tail now waving wildly, Bravo immediately let out a soft bark, drawing most of the puppies' attention. Caleb quickly sat up as they crawled off of him, turning to see the two in the doorway. Ben quickly introduced the pair to his friend, seemingly unaffected by the fact that two of the small dogs had settled in his lap after he sat. "A breeder contacted us recently, saying he only needed male dogs, and the litter had five girls. He told us that both mother and father had a calm temperament, so they thought they might have gotten it as well." He explained, voice quiet to avoid disturbing the puppies that had quickly fallen asleep. "The two in my lap are May and, I think, November. Bravo has April, June, and July." He added. Ben finally put the rope toys to use, putting them near Bravo. One puppy clambered over to them immediately, laying down to gnaw on one.

Martha, beside George, seemed in love already, obviously itching to hold one. George admittedly was entranced by them as well, watching as the massive shepherd let the three tiny dogs climb over his paws and bite his whiskers. Caleb stole one of the puppies in Benjamin's lap, ignoring the glare he received. Ben smiled slightly at the exchange, before his eyes shifted to the two in the doorway. "Do you guys want to hold one?" he asked, moving to sit on his knees, putting the puppy in his lap on the ground. At Martha's enthusiastic nod, and George's reluctant one, he shifted into a crouch, looking over the three puppies on Bravo. He paused for a moment, seemingly making a decision of which puppies to relieve his dog of. He eventually took the pup chewing aggressively at her rope, and the slightly smaller puppy tugging enthusiastically at Bravo's tail, putting them both in the crook of his arm. The smaller puppy was lively as ever, twisting in his hold to bite the outline of the dogtags underneath his shirt.

When he stopped in front of them, Martha immediately grabbed the larger puppy, cooing at her gently. This left George with the smaller female. Almost immediately after the vizsla nestled into his arms, she closed her eyes, quickly falling asleep. Ben looked mildly shocked at the sight, laughing softly. "That's the calmest I've ever seen her, George. April is usually the most excited in the litter, even being the runt." He told them, backing away with a happy smile. George's eyes stayed glued on the tiny dog in his hold, so small and trusting. The pup-April?-was beautiful, and he could feel himself falling in love with her already. Crap. Casting his eyes back up to Ben, he waited until the man finished his conversation with Caleb to speak, his voice quiet to avoid disturbing April. "How can you tell them apart? They all look the same?" He asked, looking over the puppies in the pen to confirm that they all looked similar, with the exception of the different colored ribbons around their necks. When he looked back to Benjamin, he saw a blush coloring his cheeks. "They, ah, their collars are the color of their month's birthstone." He murmured shyly, ducking his head a little bit. He ignored the "nerd" from the corner Caleb stood in, moving to the three puppies on the ground. 

"May is emerald green, November is yellow topaz, June is pearl." He explained, gesturing to the puppies in turn. George felt a smile grow at the explanation, trying to hide it by turning his head back to April. Martha, even observant, waited until Ben and Caleb resumed conversation before leaning closer to her friend. "You're whipped, Mr. Washington. Don't put out on the first date." George scoffed to himself, a blush coloring his cheeks. Sure, he found Benjamin attractive, but he doubted the other man was gay, let alone interested in him. If Ben happened to be interested in men, it was surely guys more like Caleb, not himself. His thoughts were pushed aside as he realized that the humans in the pen were slowly extracting themselves from the puppies. Martha placed her puppy in the pile between Bravo's paws, and the dog himself was slowly easing onto his paws, managing to not disturb the finally calmed vizslas. 

Ben approached George with a soft smile, holding his hands out for the puppy. The man looked down at April and hesitated, and that seemed enough for Benjamin to back away, telling him to keep her for now. The group quietly left the cage, Ben picking up his dog's vest, and Caleb remaining just outside the kennel, settling into the chair already there. Those remaining standing gave him quiet goodbyes before heading out of the barn, George still cradling the tiny puppy. The walk back was uneventful, and eventually, they were back in the office building. Blondie barely shifted her head to look at them, easily going back to sleep. Ben placed the service dog vest in his hands on the front desk. Bravo, seeming to realize he was off duty, immediately padded over to the sleeping golden retriever, attempting to wake her up. 

George realized, distantly, that this was somewhat unsual. Even though they had only met today, Benjamin seemingly trusted them enough to let his dog mess around. Before he could think on it too much, though, the man himself spoke to them, his voice soft, but louder than it had been in the puppy cage. "Thank you for your help, both of you. Someone is usually always out back, and it's usually my friend's wife, Mary, but her son got a little sick, so I had to bring Caleb." He spoke as if his friend was the worst person for the job, but at the same time, with slight fondness. "Anyways, you guys! There's no pressure, George, I won't force you to get a dog, of course, but I do think you and April have a special connection. If you decide you want a dog, you can come back whenever you want, just know that if it's too far into the future, April might be gone." He told them, gesturing to the still sleeping puppy in his arms. 

After a slight pause, George realized they were meant to leave now. Something in his mind told him not to leave Benjamin or April. Unthinkingly, he resigned himself to returning, though it didn't seem as unpleasant as it had before, and leaned down to press a kiss to the dog's head. He then shuffled closer to the owner, transferring the puppy to his arms. Only when he lowered his arms did he realize how heavy the puppy had been, his arms aching slightly. Bravo, who had finally coerced Blondie to play with him, laying on her side and playfully snapping at the paws that moved to her, dropped the game at Ben's quiet call, turning to his handler with head cocked slightly. Ben instructed his dog to lay on the large dog bed in front of him, which the dog quickly did, getting comfortable by rolling onto his side. April, who had been stirring somewhat, was placed beside his belly, seeming to melt into both the warm dog and plush bed. The puppy quickly fell back asleep, Bravo laying his head down next to hers.

Once the canines were settled, Ben turned back to Martha and George with a genuine smile on his face, thanking them for coming. As the pair climbed back into their truck, Martha laughed softly, looking over at her best friend. "If you don't come back for the dog, you definitely have to come back for the guy, George." She told him with an amused grin. The man sent her a soft glare in return, looking out the windshield instead of at her. He ignored her unsubtle comments and praises of the business on the way back to the city, instead thinking about possibly bringing a service dog into his life.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I realized a bit too late that trying to set a schedule when I haven't finished the chapters I was a dumb idea. So, here it is, more than a week later. 
> 
> It's here now though!

George's fingers clenched on the steering wheel briefly, forcing himself to ignore the urge to simply leave the parking lot, even after the long drive all the way out here. Part of his brain told him that this was still the weak and easy way out. The other part of his brain, though, told him that this would be good for him. It had been about a week and a half since his first visit with Martha, and in that time he has not only found as much information as he could about being a service dog owner, but had seen a woman with her own dog, and asked her about it. After the initial moment of confusion and anger when he very bluntly-and stupidly-asked "Why do you have a service dog?" He explained his situation, and she had told him that getting her dog had been the best decision she had ever made.  
George hadn't told anyone about his decision yet, not even Martha. Benjamin would be the first to know. As he clenched his fist slightly, his only tell for his nervousness, he quickly reached the door, pulling it open and stepping into the air conditioned space. Ben stood behind the desk, engrossed in whatever paper was before him, and didn't look up until he set his hands down in the desk. He noticed that the entirety of Bravo was cramped onto the surface of the desktop, laying on his side with his paws just barely hanging off the edge. This explained why Ben was on the very corner writing, instead of in the middle. 

The man before him finally moved his eyes to George, and his face lit up with a beautiful smile, somehow recognizing him, even though they hadn't seen each other since the first time he had visited. "Mr. Washington, you've returned!" He exclaimed happily. "Not to be pushy, but have you made your decision?" He added, though his smile lessened ever so slightly as he saw the beginnings of a frown on George's face. His nod, though, made the smile return. "It's hard to resist those puppy eyes, right?" He teased, making his own over-exaggerated eyes to demonstrate, and the older man was suddenly unsure if his decision was made by the man in front of him, or the dog. "Yeah, something like that." He murmured with a small laugh.

"So, as much as I'd like to give her to you today, there's a process. I have to first check your place out to make sure, you know, it's dog safe. Also, if you would be willing to, could you give me Martha's phone number? I know you're not going to try and drown April or anything, but protocol requires I talk to someone who knows you." Ben informed him, giving him a smile. "I also have to warn you that, for the training, I'm gonna have to know what you need help with to help you train her. If it could be any other way, I'd do it, but you'll have to give me at least a brief rundown." He added, obviously sympathetic. George frowned, but nodded nonetheless. 

"Are you free for the rest of the day? Would you want to do the house tour today?" Ben asked, picking up his phone as he spoke. There was a pause as George thought of his plans today. He had planned to meet Martha, to show her his decision. For some reason, he hadn't considered that he couldn't simply take the dog home today. He finally nodded, watching as Ben sent out a text to someone. "We can bring April today, if you want. It'd be good training for her." He told him, already moving around the desk. Bravo, seeing his owner walking away, jumped down onto the ground, his leash trailing after the large dog as he followed. 

On their short walk, Ben replied to a few more texts, tucking his phone into his back pocket as they reached the building. The younger man motioned for him to continue down the hallway, ducking into a side room. George stopped at the door of the kennel, seeing most of the vizslas asleep, Caleb sitting in the corner with a book in his lap. The bearded man looked up just as Benjamin returned, holding a small purple vest and leash. "Anna is coming, until closing." He told the man in the corner, watching as he immediately jumped to his feet, grinning. "So I don't have to deal with these little shits anymore?" He asked, obviously overjoyed. George laughed as his grin dropped with Ben's shrug. "You know Anna, Caleb. If she doesn't feel like it today, you're stuck back here still." He told him, laughing as Caleb practically whined. "C'mon Tallboy, I can't handle them any longer. They keep trying to eat my beard."

"Sorry friend, but you signed up for this." Ben reminded him, sliding the cage door open and slipping inside. A few of the puppies stirred, but only one pup stood, stumbling over one of her sisters as she moved towards the business' owner. "Ah, good girl April. Hello, gorgeous." Ben murmured quietly, picking the vizsla up and holding her in his arms, kissing her nose in an exaggerated manner. The man, seemingly ignoring his friend who was still grumbling, though to himself now, slipped back out of the cage, closing it behind him. Ben carried the puppy to a nearby table, making sure she was standing before fetching the leash and vest from Bravo, who was holding them in his maw.

George walked over to the pair, watching quietly. However, when the puppy spotted him, she immediately began squirming in Ben's loose hold, desperately trying to get to him. "I guess she remembers you, George" He stated with a small laugh. He hooked his fingers into her collar, reaching to the back of the table, grabbing a small handful of treats. The dog allowed herself to be distracted, licking at the closed fist in front of her. Ben used his other hand to slip the vest over her head and the leash to her collar. Once the leash was looped around his arm, he set down the treats, finally clipping the vest together. The purple vest was made specially for a dog her size, with "service dog in training" written clearly on it.

The puppy was clearly excited by the implications of the vest, her tail wagging wildly, her entire rear end shaking with it. April let out a small yip as Ben transferred her to the floor, tugging forward immediately. He gently tugged twice on her leash, and he puppy slowed somewhat, still at the end of her leash but no longer pulling. They quickly reached George, and before the vizsla reached him, Ben quietly warned him to not touch her. George gave him a puzzled look, and looked down to watch the puppy jump up on his leg. He waited patiently until she sat, and looked up for confirmation before crouching down to pet her. April instantly rolled onto her back, still wiggling as George scratched her belly and chest. 

"Do you want to walk her, George?" Ben asked, and the man in question stood again, "Just tug twice lightly on her leash if she pulls, and if possible, make her stand at your side." He added. George nodded somewhat nervously, taking the leash as it was offered to him. Before he could ask anything, Benjamin's phone rang, and with a check that he was able to handle the puppy, he took the call. Before they left the barn, they stopped at another one of the cages, a beautiful Australian shepherd laying in its bed. Ben made a quiet clicking sound, and the dog lifted his head, getting up as it realized it was leaving the cage. "Hold on Anna, I have to get him out. George, don't let him and April meet, Bo plays too rough." He cautioned, clipping the dog's leash onto him. Immediately, "Bo" began tugging to try and get to April, and April curiously padded closer. George quickly realized it would be easier to carry his puppy, and he did so before she could meet the merle Aussie. Ben's dog strained less at the lead after this, watching the puppy but walking fairly calmly as his handler went back to the phone conversation. Bravo, ever the perfect role model, did nothing more than glance at the dog, remaing glued to Ben's other side. 

Left to his own devices, he realized that Bravo was being the model service dog, walking flawlessly beside his owner, even without a leash. Shifting his attention to April, he recognized that this definitely would be a long process. He still had time to back out, but could he really just walk away now? Benjamin was someone he wanted to get to know, and he knew he had already fallen for the puppy. George looked up, leaving his thoughts as he heard the quiet voice besides him say "Alright, see you in a second." The call ended as they reached the door to the office building, a sleek, fancy sports car pulling into the parking lot. The woman that climbed out of the car wore a look on her face that made him step back a little. "Benjamin Tallmadge, you're lucky you own my favorite dog. Today's my day off!" She complained, a smile sliding onto her face as her eyes landed on Bo. The dog was now pulling at the end of his leash, butt wiggling a little bit in excitement. 

Ben dropped the leash and the aussie sprinted to the woman, licking her face as she crouched down infront of him. "I know, I know. Thank you, Anna, you're a lifesaver." He told her, though he sounded slightly sarcastic. Anna ignored it as she stood again, Bo glued to her side, still excited to see her. "I'm taking him home tonight." She told him, no room for argument. Ben simply nodded, opening the door for her. "Caleb is in the back, with the puppies. He wants out but I told him he'd probably still have to stay there." He informed her, remaining in the doorway. Anna, from inside the building, said something he couldn't hear. Whatever it was, though, brought a beautiful flush to Benjamin's cheeks. Before he could respond, Ben was thrown his dog's vest and leash. He closed the door afterwards, shaking his head slightly. Once his dog was prepared to leave, he turned back to George. "So, shall we go?" He asked with a smile, and at the responding nod, they both moved to the silver SUV parked under a large oak tree. 

"There's a cage in the back." Ben told him as he opened the backseat door, telling his dog to jump up and leaning in to buckle Bravo in, clipping some specially made leash onto his vest. George carried his puppy to the back of the car, lifting the hatch. It opened to reveal two heavy metal dog crates, both the same dark purple as the dog vests. With April put into the obviously protective dog cage, he returned to the cab, both men climbing in, and they were off.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I added more pictures to the folder ( http://sta.sh/2vj34mc9rnj?edit=1 ), namely of the new dog mentioned, Bo!  
> I have so many pictures of him because he's actually a dog I know irl. I've got this awesome deal with the lady that owns him where I get to just take him with me for a couple of hours every day during the week. He's trained as a service dog, but (1) he's not good with puppies and (2) his owner doesn't have a disability. She was just going to train him but she ended up keeping him (who wouldn't lbr). He's tied with my own dog for my favorite dog. He's super fluffy and v sweet.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Things that stoped me from writing and posting:  
> 1\. Being sick  
> 2\. Obsessively playing Harvest Moon
> 
> Needless to say, my once a week posting is not and will not be accurate pft.  
> Hope this chap isn't too bad! It's shorter than the rest have been, sorry!

As they drove into the main city, it was clear that, while Ben could handle driving, he disliked it. It was understandable, of course. Traffic was crazy, people and dogs were everywhere. George hadn't known the younger man or long, but it was obvious he was slowly getting more and more anxious. This was only confirmed as his dog whined from the back seat. Ben quietly shushed him, diverting by asking George for directions. He considered asking if he was okay, if he wanted to hand off driving, but realized that he would hate it if their positions had been switched. 

The vehicle was silent for the most part, the only sounds coming from George's occasional directions, and shifting from the dogs. In no time, they were at George's apartment. A small glance saw Benjamin take a deep but silent breath, slowly letting it out before he opened his door. George wondered to himself how long it had been since the younger man had been into the city. He assumed it had been quite awhile, from the steadying breath. He met Ben at the back of the truck, Bravo already glued to his side, as always. April's tail was wagging wildly as he opened the cage door, letting the puppy jump down. "Alright, walking a service dog is pretty simple. It's just like walking a normal dog, except when they're fully trained, it's a lot easier. For April, right now, she'll probably be trying to pull at the leash. When she's at the end of the lead, give her a double tug, and give her whatever command you want to use when she's at your side."

To demonstrate, Ben gently tugged twice at April's lead, and the puppy turned her head up to George, looking slightly confused. The dog trainer handed him a drawstring bag, which he quickly discovered was full of treats. George pulled one of the small pieces out, and the vizsla immediately walked back to him. He murmured a soft "heel", and after a small head tilt, the tiny dog moved to his left side, sitting perfectly. The action brought a smile to his face, praising her with an exaggerated "good heel!" as he crouched down to feed her the treat. When he stood again, he saw a smile on Ben's lips, an the man seemed somewhat more relaxed in the small building parking lot. "Lead the way." The man told him, even as he tensed ever so slightly, hand clenching on his large dog's leash. 

As they entered the lobby of the apartment building, George noticed many eyes landing on them. He could tell that he was physically trying to shrink away from the stares, hunching his shoulders and keeping his head down slightly even as he led the way. He noticed, though, that Ben seemed mostly unaffected, his only visible sign his grip on Bravo's leash. George redirected his gaze to the front desk, and he could see the man behind it seemed very annoyed. "Sir, you ca-" the man tried, but Ben cut him off immediately, and the man seemed almost offended as Ben responded without hesitation, "Both the shepherd and the puppy are service dogs, and therefore are allowed in any public place." Ben's tone was bored, and George had to rush to the elevator to avoid outright laughing at the receptionist's expression. In the safety of the elevator, he turned to see a small smile on the younger man's face, and the gradual relaxing of his fists. 

There was companionable silence, April sniffing around curiously while Bravo sat beside his owner quietly. "Do... do people usually stare?" George asked, voice quiet. Ben frowned a little as he turned to the taller man, giving a small shrug. "I'm gonna be honest with you. Having a service dog gives you a lot of looks you wouldn't have gotten before. You kind of become a celebrity. In the city, in a crowd, you wont get looked at twice, but in a room with just a small amount of people, a lot of people stare. Unfortunately, their thoughts are usually along the lines of "That dog is adorable" or "What's wrong with him?" It kinda sucks, but you get used to it eventually." The younger man sounded resolved as he answered, and his smile was somewhat weak. George wanted nothing more than to hug him in that moment, but he knew the gesture would probably be more awkward than comforting.

When they reached George's apartment, he paused, frowning slightly. "My apartment isn't exactly clean. I... I really need to clean up." There was a slight flush on his cheeks, and he refused to meet Ben's eyes. Ben's quiet "I'm sure I've seen worse, if that helps" didn't help at all, and with an almost grimace, he unlocked his apartment. The company he worked at let him paid him a fairly large amount, letting him buy a modest apartment that had one bedroom and a small kitchen and living room. Unfortunately, there were also at least five take-out boxes in the living room and dishes almost piled in the sink. The apartment itself was somewhat barren, only a grey couch and matching armchair, with a small flat-screen tv mounted on the wall in front of it. The walls held no pictures or painting. Overall, it was... boring. George risked a glance at Ben and his dog, and was mildly shocked to see the King Shepherd pulling at his lead. "No, B, it's fine. Not here." The handler rubbed his dog's ears, and though he tilted his head slightly in confusion, Bravo relaxed his strain, once again falling to his owner's side. Ben gave him a sheepish smile, seemingly not wanting to explain. 

"Well, George. I'm sure I don't need to tell you that the food containers aren't good to have with a puppy in the house?" Ben asked finally, and gave a genuine smile as the man in question blushed slightly, nodding. April, at the end of the lead in George's hand, pulled farther into the apartment, nose to the ground and onto everything it could smell. The man followed without much resistance, letting the puppy explore the new environment. "Are you okay with me looking around? Any places you want me to stay out of? I completely understand if that's the case, I just need to know before I look around." Ben asked, and George was slightly surprised, though he shouldn't be. "No, you're free to look around." The older man told him, looking back at April as she jumped up onto the couch.

The puppy moved her attention to the food boxes, and he dropped the leash in favor of stopping her, grabbing the top of the vest and holding her back. George took the treats that Ben had set down, pulling a few out. April was willingly distracted, licking at his hand. With her attention diverted, he picked up as much of the trash as he could. He easily picked her up with one arm, feeding her the treat before tucking her under his arm. The pup squirmed a little, but calmed down easily, letting him carry her to the kitchen. He shifted April to the crook of his arms, giving her a small kiss on the top of the head as he walked back into his living room. 

He found Ben in his room, Bravo sitting patiently just inside the door as Ben looked around. "What do you look for?" George asked curiously. He saw the younger man jump slightly, clearly not noticing his arrival. "Honestly, just what you'd expect. Finding exposed wires and electrical outlets to cover, picking up anything she can choke on or eat that she shouldn't, secure anything she can knock over and break." Ben shrugged, giving the room a small glance. "Besides the trash, your open trashcan, and exposed wires, I think you're pretty much good to keep her." He told him with another beautiful smile. George felt himself responding in kind, nodding slightly. Before he could say anything, though, his phone began ringing. He quickly set the puppy down, slipping the leash back over his wrist as he answered the call.

Martha's voice greeted him on the other end of the line. "Are we still doing lunch, George, or did I miss a memo?" She asked him, and he cursed under his breath as he realized his mistake. "Of course, sorry, I completely forgot. I was doing something, and I forgot. I'll be there in twenty minutes, at most." He told her, frowning slightly. As he hung up, he realized that Ben had picked up the leash of his own dog, hands fidgeting with the leash. He seemed to hesitate for a moment before speaking, keeping his eyes somewhere just to the right of his head. "I-I can take you to wherever you're going, if you want? I'll need April back, though, until we-" George stopped him with a hand on his arm, confused by the younger man flinching at his touch. He was bodily pushed back, though, by Bravo, who stepped between them, leaning against his own legs to make him back away. He quickly did so, apologizing profusely.

"I'm sorry, I didn't think. Its just- you're free to come with me. I'm meeting Martha, the woman with me when we first met, for lunch. I was going to tell her about my decision to proceed with getting a service dog." George tried to explain, feeling terrible for his action. Bravo remained between them, though now pressed against his owner, licking his hand until it rested on his head, rubbing his ears. "Are you sure, George? I completely understand if you'd rather I go elsewhere. It's your lunch, and I'd hate to-" George cut him off again, holding a hand up in front of him. "Ben, you're literally going to be helping me get my life together. I don't think Martha is going to mind you being there for a lunch." He seemed to hesitate, but nodded. "Only if you both wouldn't mind." The younger man repeated with a shy smile. George sent a quick text to Martha telling her, and moved back to his living room. April was still in his arms, uterally relaxed and seemingly fine with being carried. Ben followed him after a moment, watching the pair. 

"I'm gonna be honest, George. I think you two are the perfect pair." He told the taller man, who gave him a confused look in response. "The only time that puppy is ever still is when you're holding her. Trust me, Caleb can back me up. She might be the runt, but she is the most energetic out of them all." He added, smiling as he saw George glance down at the vizsla in surprise. "Anyways, I'm all done. As long as you fix those few things I mentioned, you should be good to get her... I'm good to go if you are. I can drive to wherever." Ben told him, shrugging slightly. George led the way out of the apartment, locking it behind them. He finally set his puppy down, slipping the leash back over his wrist as she walked. The puppy tugged slightly, but with a slight correction, she slowed, the leash dipping slightly as she walked closer to his side than she had been. They reached the car, the dogs were put up, and they left the parking lot, heading to the small cafe George directed him to.


End file.
